RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



political visitation in 1301.* When Bishop 

 Maidstone visited the monastery in 1315, the 

 year after the death of Abbot Walter, he found 

 nothing to correct. 1 The gates of the monastery 

 were closed against the prior of Worcester in 

 1302, when he attempted a visitation during 

 the vacancy of the see, because the house had 

 been so recently visited both by Giffard and 

 Winchelsey. 1 In 1314 Abbot Walter's last 

 benefaction was to secure for the prior and 

 convent the right of administering the possessions 

 of the monastery during vacancies for a fine of 

 40 on each occasion, thus excluding the 

 escheators. 4 



His successors emulated his policy of expan- 

 sion, but lacked his ability and force of character. 

 The next thirty years was a period of extrava- 

 gance and maladministration. In 1318 the 

 manor of Rowell was purchased from the abbey 

 of St. Evroul at an initial cost of ^550, and a 

 yearly rent of ,20.* A hundred marks were 

 paid for an assart at Enstone.* Thirty-three 

 acquisitions of messuages, lands, and rents in 

 Winchcombe, Coates, and Greet were made 

 without the licence of the crown to appropriate 

 in mortmain, and in 1344 the convent was 

 fortunate in obtaining, on the intercession of 

 John Stratford, archbishop of Canterbury, 7 a 

 pardon and a licence to retain this property. 

 There was some reckless speculation in corrodies. 

 As these included grants of perpetual sustenance 

 and sometimes clothes and lodging as well, and 

 were in fact annuities, their profitableness 

 depended on the lives of the individuals who 

 purchased them. In 1317 Margery, daughter 

 of Bertram of Alderton, obtained one for 140 

 marks. 8 In 1320, when the convent was in 

 urgent need of money, John de Somery, rector 

 of Bishampton, who already held a corrody,* 

 paid 140 marks for further privileges. 10 Many 

 other corrodies are entered in the Landboc, 11 in 

 which there are other indications of financial 

 difficulties. 



In 1321 a bond of 60, payable at the rate 

 of jC i o a year, was given to Robert Dastyn for 

 corn already received from him. 11 In 1328 

 ^76 Of. 8</. was due to Robert Pope, a burgess 

 of Gloucester, for cloth. 13 The injunctions issued 

 on 1 2 July by Orlton, bishop of Worcester, after 

 his visitation in 1329, throw a strong light on 



1 Royce, op. cit. i, 271 ; cf. Cant. Archiepis. Reg. 

 Winchelsey, in which there are no corrections. 



* Wore. Epis. Reg. Maidstone, fol. 24. 



1 jinn. Man. (Rolls. Ser.), iv, 551. However, the 

 prior's right of visitation was subsequently admitted ; cf. 

 Ware. Reg. StJt Vac. (Wore. Hist. Soc.), 61, 211. 



4 Dugdale, op. cit. ii, 309. 



* Ibid, ii, 312. Royce, op. cit. ii, 121, 122. 

 ' Dugdale, op. cit. ii, 3 1 2. 



' Cal. of Pat. 1 8 Edw. Ill, pt. ii, m. 37. 

 1 Royce, op. cit. i, 329. ' Ibid. 320. 



" Ibid. 323. " Ibid, i, 322-58 fanim. 



" Ibid, i, 336. " Ibid. 362. 



6 9 



the internal life of the monastery. 14 The finances 

 were in great disorder. Orlton decreed that the 

 abbot and obedientiars should render their 

 accounts, before 8 September, to the convent, or 

 those of the monks who were elected for that 

 purpose, and that for the future the accounts 

 should be regularly presented. Two treasurers 

 were to be appointed to administer the common 

 fund of the convent, and by the will of the 

 chapter the obedientiars should be compelled to 

 contribute to it if necessary. The abbot was 

 bidden to restore to the obedientiars the rents 

 and issues of the possessions assigned to their 

 offices, which he was said to have taken from 

 them. Neither woods, wool, nor corrodies were 

 to be sold without the consent of the chapter. 

 Trustworthy bailiffs were to be appointed to the 

 custody of the manors. If the obedientiars 

 served their office faithfully they were not to be 

 removed at the abbot's whim, and he was to 

 consult the chapter on matters of business. The 

 common seal was to be in safe keeping. The 

 extravagant household of both abbot and convent 

 was to be cut down, superfluous servants dis- 

 missed, and the provision of horses and robes for 

 unnecessary persons diminished. The lives of 

 the monks called forth some strictures. They 

 were bidden to attend the services regularly, to 

 be silent in church, cloister, frater and dorter, 

 instead of chattering and listening to vain tales. 

 The evil custom of sitting drinking after dinner 

 and after compline was to be abolished. The 

 monks were to keep within the precincts instead 

 of wandering in the town and countryside, 

 unless they were sent abroad on the business of 

 the house. At the request of the abbot and 

 convent, Orlton made fresh appointments to some 

 of the offices, but shortly afterwards, on 7 Decem- 

 ber, 1329, as the abbot pleaded that his privileges 

 had been thus infringed, the bishop allowed him 

 to remove those obedientiars and make his own 

 choice. 1 * In 1340 he resigned on account of old 

 age and harassing cares, a liberal provision was 

 made for him by the chapter, and he was given 

 a chamber in the farmery. 1 * There was some 

 irregularity in the choice of his successor, 

 William of Sherborne, and Wulstan de Brans- 

 ford, bishop of Worcester, declared the election 

 invalid, but to avoid any difficulties he himself 

 appointed the monks' nominee. 17 William of 

 Sherborne's rule was unfortunate. On 20 July, 

 1346, Thomas of Berkeley was appointed to 

 arrest Hugh Becyn, a chaplain, John his brother, 

 and their confederates, who, as soon as the 

 king had gone abroad, came openly in arms 

 to Winchcombe, broke into the abbey, carried 

 away a large quantity of its goods, assaulted 

 the monks and their servants and other men, 



14 Wore. Epis. Reg. Orlton, fol. 3 1 J. 



15 Ibid. fol. ii. 



" Ibid. Bransford, fol. 14, 34</., 38. 

 "Ibid. fol. 35. 



